Twenty-one people were killed and several others injured in a massive explosion at a fireworks manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh’s Kakinada district on Saturday afternoon, triggering panic in nearby villages and prompting a high-level probe.
The blast occurred around 2 pm at the Suryasri Fireworks Centre near the Godavari Canal in Vetlapalem village under Samaralakota mandal. Eight critically injured persons were shifted to nearby hospitals, with six currently undergoing treatment at the Government General Hospital in Kakinada.
According to residents, the explosion was so powerful that it was heard nearly five kilometres away. The shockwave reportedly caused cracks in the roof of a private school in a neighbouring village. Several victims were flung into nearby agricultural fields, while thick plumes of smoke engulfed the surrounding area.
Two fire engines were rushed to the spot to douse the flames and carry out rescue operations. However, locals said the factory is located amid fields with limited road access, delaying the movement of emergency vehicles.
The unit, spread across six sheds, reportedly belongs to the family of Adapa Nani.
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So far, 11 of the deceased have been identified as Adabala Srinu, Kadimpalli Kripamma, Kadimpalli Dhanaraju, Sadhanala Satyaveni, Vatluri Ravi, Mandapalli Chinni, Nimmada Karuna, Gampala Manga, Godatha Mahesh, Godatha Ramu and Godatha Nani. Residents said most of the victims were women employed at the unit.
Officials briefed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu about the tragedy while he was on tour in Vizianagaram district. The Chief Minister directed immediate relief measures and instructed Home Minister Vangalapudi Anita to visit the scene.
In a post on X, Naidu described the loss of lives as heartbreaking and said he had spoken to senior officials regarding the incident. He assured that necessary assistance would be extended to the affected families and that the government was closely monitoring relief operations.
District Collector Shan Mohan and Superintendent of Police Bindu Madhav reached the site and are overseeing rescue and relief efforts.
IT Minister Nara Lokesh also expressed grief and assured support to the bereaved families and proper medical care for the injured.
An investigation has been initiated to ascertain the cause of the explosion.
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